Jane Camille: Destination Reverse Mountain
by Selene Cherryblossom
Summary: Jane Camille is my new OC. She will meet Rufy and decide to join his crew. What will change in the Mugiwaras' adventures because of her? If you want to discover it, then read this first part of the saga.
1. Pirate Hunter Zoro

1.

PIRATE HUNTER ZORO

Jane Camille grabbed the wedding dress and went behind the room divider to wear it. She still couldn't believe it: in less than a hour she would have married! Once ready, she came out of the room divider and showed herself to her mother. The woman exclaimed "You're splendid, my darling! I mean, you always are, but with that dress...That guy is really lucky to have a wife like you, isn't he, Alfred?" Her father had just entered the room, with his usual stern expression on his face. As if he hadn't heard his wife, he asked his daughter "Are you ready? About time too! Some people came to meet you before the ceremony. I'll let them in." The 18-year-old suddenly had a bad feeling and thought "_What a fool I am! Today's the best day of my life and I waste time making endless fussing about nothing. It's normal being nervous for taking the plunge, but this is too much!_" She placed the veil on her head with the help of her mother, who looked as confused as her about the guests. The door was opened again: a tall man, dressed in white, was whispering to her father, followed by five-six men dressed like him and her future parents-in-law. Camille looked better at them and froze, terrified: they were marines! She asked "Father, what is this supposed to mean?"

The man looked at her in anger "_I _am asking you, Camille! I raised you to become a nice noble woman, a reputed lawyer, just like me, your grand-father and all of our ancestors, and what do you do? You thank me robbing the Marine!"

"I didn't steal anything! You must be mistaken! Mother..."

"Let your mother out of this! Do not lie to me, Camille! I know you have eaten a Devil's Fruit!" The girl boggled: how the hell did they know? When the Fruit was given to her, she hadn't thought it could have been stolen. She really was in trouble, she was confused, she didn't know what to say to purge herself of the charge "I am telling you, you are wrong, I ate no Devil's Fruit!"

The Marine's officer moved towards her, grabbed her arm and dragged her outside the French window, in the back garden "If, as you say, you ate no Devil's Fruit, then you will swim into your pool without problems."

"What? Wait! Stop, please! I beg you! Let go of me! No! NO!" The man threw her in the water and Camille started immediately to sink, even if she was trying to stay on the surface moving her arms and legs like crazy. Desperate, going down, she looked towards the surface: she still could see their two outlines, but none of them seemed to intend to save her. That day should have been the best day of her life and instead...With that last thought, Camille fainted...

_4 years later, in an inn, East Blue..._

It was peak time for dinner, the inn was quite crowded. To the left of the entrance, a group of men was making a toast for the end of a week of hard work, finally it was time to relax and having a great time. On the opposite end of the room you could hear the laughters of a group of guys, who were telling their adventures with the girls of their school or their street. Everybody was smiling, laughing and joking. Everybody apart from two customers: a green-haired guy, with a black bandanna on his head and a green haramaki with 3 swords around his waist, sitting at the counter, eating, and a girl, maybe a little bit older than him, with long brown hair and a white cow-girl hat on her head, sitting a couple of stools away from him, drinking beer. She emptied her mug and said to the innkeeper "Rum, please."

The woman looked at her, puzzled "Not to give you a lecture, but you have already drunk 3 big mugs and you haven't eaten at all!"

"Do not worry for me. If you are thinking I can't pay, here, I'll prepay." The woman stared at her for a little while, then uncorked the bottle in front of her eyes and poured some rum in a glass. As soon as she finished doing so, the girl grabbed the glass and drained it in one swallow "Delicious! Leave the bottle, please." Without waiting for an answer, she took it and poured a bit more rum. This time the woman couldn't avoid adding "How old are you? 20? Do you want to ruin your liver? Do you think that your parents will be happy to see you coming back home dead-drunk? Even supposing that you will manage to _reach_ home!"

The girl looked scathingly at her "First: I'm not 20, I'm 22. Second: I do not mean to ruin my liver; my liver is in prime condition and a couple of quick drinks won't ruin it at all. Third: I do not have a home, nor parents; I will spend the night here, unless you have something against that too. Fourth: before judging someone, remember that not all people are the same and save yourself from judging them according to what they're drinking." The innkeeper, after such answer, remained silent and went serving another customer. The girl pulled her white hat down over her eyes, going back to drink, when a voice nearby asked her "What are you trying to forget, drinking so much? Being an infamous pirate perhaps?"

The 22-year-old put down her glass, her hand trembling slightly, but then smiled "Actually that is the only thing I will never regret."

"Then we really are two worlds apart. Apart from our opinion of the rum: I agree with you, it's delicious." The girl hadn't turned towards him: she knew perfectly well that she was talking with the quiet green-haired guy. He cleaned his mouth with a napkin, then said to the innkeeper, standing up "I will pay everything after catching the Young Bride and pocketing her bounty and I will also leave you a nice tip."

The young woman let go of the glass she was wiping and moved away from the girl "Are you really the Young Bride?"

The girl, keeping on smiling, drank her second glass of rum "I am. But I prefer being called by name, Camille. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before, but, as you now well see, it was better like this, or I couldn't have spent such a pleasant evening. But I'm not the only one who didn't introduce theirself. Isn't it so, Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro?"

"Glad to see you know me."

"I know your reputation as a mysterious, cruel swordsman, but I don't fear you and I won't let you put your hands on my bounty. It tempted many before you and yet I'm still here."

"I am different."

"Are you sure you won't go off with your tail between your legs just like them?"

"I won't give in so easily. I have never gained bounties this high, but you are a woman, a young bride, like the curious epithet they have sticked on you. Nice picture on the bounty, anyway!"

Jane Camille's smile flickered, but, after drinking the third glass of rum, it came back as before "Let me finish the bottle and wait for me outside. I don't want to damage such a clean and tidy inn."

"I won't wait for you on the front door while you escape from the rear. I'll wait right here." He sat on the stool next to her, smiling scornfully.

"As you wish. But I'm not a coward and after all I have no reason to fear you and make a dash for it. Just let me drink in peace another five minutes. I have to celebrate properly my birthday in this delicious rum's company." Zoro was about to say something, when the door flung open: a blonde guy with an air of insolence on his face entered the inn with a couple of bodyguards and a ferocious dog. A little girl, the innkeeper's daughter, tried to get away the dog from a table with a broom, but the animal growled at her and would have jumped on her if two stools hadn't knocked him out. The blonde, so as the rest of the inn's customers, turned towards the direction the stools had come from and noticed that Camille and Zoro were both standing with glaring eyes: their tools had gone. They looked at each other with a scowl and she asked "Why have you thrown yours too? Mine was enough! Do you want to join the criminals' side?"

"Shut up, it's you who didn't have to interfere!"

The dog's owner cut in on their conversation "How did you dare doing this to my puppy? Do you know who I am?"

They answered as one "No."

"No? I am Helmeppo, Captain Morgan's son!"

Camille raised an eyebrow "You're a marine then. I loathe marines."

"I am no marine, but I am a great marine's son. Wait until my father hears what you two and that snot have done and he will make you pay for this!"

The 22-year-old said ironically "I'm shaking with fear!"

Zoro aimed his sword to the blonde "Leave the women out of this."

"You are the Pirate Hunter, aren't you? Are you an enemy of the Marine now?"

"I was only sitting there, minding my own business, when you, simpleton, came in, and put a spoke in my wheel."

"What an insolent!" Helmeppo drew out his sword and was about to hit him, when Zoro dogded his stroke and with a kick stuck the blonde's sword in the wooden ceiling. Then slammed him on the counter with a punch and pointed one of his 3 swords at his face "You are really annoying, you know that?"

"Hey, calm down, put away this sword! Wait until my father hears this: he will send to prison even the innkeeper and her daughter! But you know what? Let's come to an agreement: if you let me go, let yourself arrest in their place and survive without food and drinks for a month, then you will be released." The Pirate Hunter thought about it for a while, then agreed, to everybody's surprise. While they were taking him away, he said to Camille "I suppose you're free to go now. You are lucky, Young Bride." As a matter of fact the marines had completely forgotten about her, maybe they hadn't recognized her. She shrugged "You wouldn't have caught me anyway."


	2. Rufy, the guy with the straw hat

2.

RUFY, THE GUY WITH THE STRAW HAT

When Roronoa Zoro had been taken away and the calm came back in the inn, Jane Camille finished her bottle of rum, cast some coins on the counter and headed to the exit. The innkeepr told her "You gave me more money than you should have."

"I'm paying for the Pirate Hunter too." The young woman was astonished: usually pirates scrounged their meals and drinks, she had paid even for an enemy! The 22-year-old opened the door and was about to get out on the road, when once again the innkeeper stopped her "Wait, hadn't you said you wanted to spend the night here?"

"Yes, but I doubt you want a criminal under your same roof."

"I am the only one who heard who you are. I won't tell anybody. You saved my daughter too."

This time was Jane Camille the one surprised "Well thank you then. How much I owe you?"

"You will pay when you get away, like any normal customer. Here's the key to your room, the third on the right, first floor. Rica will bring a bottle of rum: it's on the house."

Five days later Jane Camille stopped in front of the local Marine Headquarter's gate, wrapped in a yellow cloak. It was midday, the hottest hour of the day. In the middle of the courtyard, the Pirate Hunter was tied to a pole, unconscious. She thought "_That baka was thinking to be able to stand for a month!_" That thought had troubled her for days: why had he been so stupid to make such an agreement? How can you possibly endure for a month without eating and drinking? She smiled "_I can't really say I've never met someone like him before..._" Unfortunately that someone was a million miles away now. The grin on her face vanished and she ran away from the gate in the same silent way she had come.

It was late night when Roronoa Zoro was woken by a noise in front of him. Exhausted from the weariness, the hunger and the thirst, he glimpsed somebody in front of him, but he couldn't understand who they were in the darkness. It was a cloaked figure, completely still. He thought "_Perfect, I'm having mirages in the middle of the night!_" But the person was real, because the figure moved and approached him. They put something on the ground, Zoro heard a slight water slosh and then felt cold water streaming down his neck and back. He asked, with hoarse voice "Who are you? Why are you helping me? I can do it even without nobody's help!"

"Yes, of course and I'm more saint than a nun!" That voice...It couldn't be! He dared asking "Young Bride?"

"Could you stop calling me like that? I told you I preder my name, _Pirate Hunter_!"

"I like my epithet. Anyway, what the hell are you doing? Are you out of your mind? Why are you helping me? Do you know that, as soon as I get out of here, I'll hand you over to the Marine?"

"The same Marine that arrested you?"

"I made a deal, an exchange, that's why I've been arrested."

"And you're truly convinced that that spoiled dupe will keep his word?"

"I trust more his word than a pirate's word."

"Not all pirates are the same. I thought you had learned it, considering your occupation."

"Oh right, some of them go help their enemies in the middle of the night for pure masochism."

"It's not for masochism. I just want you to get out alive from here to fight with me."

"That's exactly what I mean to do!"

"I appreciate the fact that you're full of good will, bit don't think that will satisfy your hunger or thirst. Open your mouth, I'll squeeze some fresh water in it."

"Go away!"

"Don't make me get tough with you..."

"You're ridiculous!" He closed his mouth on the rebound. Jane Camille sighed, punched him softly on his stomach and forced him to open his mouth, squeezing the water as she has said "Was it that hard? I've brought some rice croquette too."

"I'm not hungry." But smelling their delicious scent his stomach mumbled loud.

Camille raised an eyebrow "Do I have to do as I did for the water?"

"What a nagging girl!"

"What a pigheaded guy!" Zoro opened his mouth, vexed, Camille raised gently his chin and brought the rice to his lips. Feeling her touch on his face, the Pirate Hunter froze and she noticed "Am I hurting your neck?"

"No, it's nothing. I'm just a bit stiff." It was an excuse: he had been surprised by the light touch of his 'enemy'. In a few seconds he devoured all the rice. The girl made him drink a bit more, then picked up the bucket she had put down on the ground and turned around, heading to the gate "Don't worry, I'm not expecting a thank you from you. I'll see you tomorrow, I won't accept any objection." Zoro watched her leaving, climbing gracefully up the gate, casting a glance towards him, jumping down the gate and disappearing, running in the darkness. She moved like a cat. Half subconsciously he murmured "Thanks..."

Jane Camille went to Zoro every night. He complained everytime, but she came back anyway and in the end he was thankful to her, for keeping him alive and quite in strenght for when they would have finally freed him.

A month went by, then other two weeks, but nobody intended to release him. One night Camille told him "What had I told you? They won't let you go. And then people speak evil of us pirates!"

"I'm strong, I could endure here other 3 months."

"Thanks to me, even if you'll never admit it. But I can't stay here forever for you."

"Then go! I'm not the one who holds you here!" The girl didn't answer and stayed silent for the rest of the time she spent by him. When she left, she didn't even wish him goodbye. She didn't come to him the day after, nor the following. Perhaps she was really gone...

One afternoon two guys peeped out the courtyard's wall: one was pink-haired and the other was wearing a straw hat. Zoro addressed them, annoyed "Oi you two! What are you staring at? Go away!" A ladder appeared next to them: it was the innkeeper's daughter, who climbed over the wall and approached, even if the pink-haired guy was telling her it would have been too dangerous. The girl had brought him two rice croquettes: probably she had come to know that Jane Camille had gone away and had decided to help him herself. Zoro tried to tell her in the kindest way possible "Do you know that you're risking your life? Go away before someone notices you!"

"But you haven't eaten for days, poor thing! It's the first time I cook, but I made them with love, I hope you like them!"

"I'm not hungry, go away! I don't need your help!" The inner gate opened up and a group of marines approached them. Helmeppo was with them. After boasting like he always used to do, he ordered to throw the girl over the wall, as punishment for entering there without permission. A marine, even if reluctantly, obeyed and Rica was thrown over the wall. She closed her eyes, scared, to avoid seeing the impact with the ground, but she fell on something soft. She opened her eyes and found herself in the arms of the guy with the straw hat "Thank you very much, you saved me!"

"Oh no problem, little one!"

A female voice exclaimed "Rica! My goodness, are you ok?"

The girl looked in the voice's direction and her mouth dropped open "Milly!" She knew she wouldn't have gone without saying goodbye! "I'm great, he grabbed me!"

Jane Camille looked at the guy "Thanks for catching her in time. If you follow me at the inn, I'll stand you a drink!"

He shook his head "Oh never mind! I wanted something to eat anyway."

"I'll invite you to lunch then! Anyway, my name is Camille."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Rufy." The girl winced: had she got it right? Rufy? "How many people in the world will have the same name? It can't be that Rufy! But that straw hat..." Buried in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed that Rufy had climbed over the wall and was now talking with the Pirate Hunter. He stayed there for a while, then came back to them and with Kobi, the pink-haired guy who had introduced himself in the meantime, they all went to the inn for lunch.

While eating, Kobi asked "Is Zoro really that cruel as they say?"

Rufy, with his mouth full of meat, answered "He begged me to make him eat the rice croquettes the blonde had stepped onto."

Rica was enthusiastic "Really? Aww he is so good! He sacrificed himself for my mum and me..." And she told them all the story. Half an hour later, Helmeppo entered the inn with his bodyguards "You know what, people? I was bored, so I've decided to have Roronoa Zoro shot tomorrow." He burst in an evil laughter. Camille stood up, furious, but Rufy was faster than her and punched Helmeppo in the face. He would have continued, if Camille hadn't told him to calm down. He obeyed, but declared "I have no more doubts: I want Zoro to join my crew!"

The girl laughed "Rufy, he is a Pirate _Hunter_, I don't think he's interested in becoming an outlaw."

"I'll convince him at any cost!"

Zoro was keeping his eyes closed, under the burning sun, remembering his childhood, when he noticed he wasn't alone anymore. He opened his eyes and saw Jane Camille and the guy with the straw hat standing in front of him "Oh no, please, not you two again! What the hell do you want now?"

Rufy answered "I came here to save you, so you'll be able to become one of my men!"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm looking for smart people to form a pirate crew."

"And you think I'll become a pirate? Forget it!"

Camille shrugged, grinning "What had I told you, Rufy? He _hates_ pirates!"

Rufy asked him "Why is that so?"

"They're human waste, worse than animals, the most despicable people in the world!"

"You don't seem much better: I've heard you're a merciless pirate hunter, is it true?

"I don't care what people think of me, I've never done something I regret. I will pass this test and fulfil my dream at any cost!"

"I see. But I've already decided: you'll enter my crew!" Jane Camille burst into laughter, while Zoro screamed, angry "YOU CANNOT DECIDE FOR ME!"

"You're a good swordsman, right?"

"I am, but Morgan's son confiscated my sword."

"I'll fetch it if you accept my offer."

"BLACKMAILER!"

Rufy ran away, smiling "_Gomu gomu no...Rocket_!" His arms stretched out in front of their wide eyes. Camille was appalled "_My goodness, it's that Rufy! Devil's Fruits are unique, only he can have eaten the one that turns your body into rubber_."


	3. Zoro is free

3.

ZORO IS FREE

While Rufy had disappeared, looking for Zoro's sword, Jane Camille drew out of her belt a dagger and started to cut the roped that kept the guy tied. He asked "Why have you come back? Do you really wanna risk your life for one of your enemies? I can endure more!"

"Really? I didn't know you were bulletproof."

"What do you mean?"

"You really don't get it, do you? They have set everything for your public execution. Tomorrow."

"What?"

"From the very start Helmeppo didn't mean to release you. Do you believe me now? As soon as Rufy discovered it, he lost his mind and punched him very hard."

"That boy..."

"Yeah I was very struck by him too. I think he's worth a lot more than he shows. Let him help you, after all, after what he did to the spoiled brat, he's wanted too now. I guess that sticking together is the best solution for everybody in this case."

A voice broke off their conversation "Hey you, what do you think you are doing?" A whole marines' squad was pointing their guns at them; behind them stood a very tall man, with an axe in place of an arm. He had to be the infamous Captain Morgan. He said "Little girl, you are under arrest for plotting behind my back. You were conspiring with the straw hat boy against me, weren't you?"

Zoro answered "I always fight alone, you should know that. Not like you, who surround yourself with men terrified by your overbearingness!"

"You're done playing the braggart. Load your guns! Aim!" Jane Camille stopped cutting the ropes and put her hands on Zoro's shoulders, seriously worried for the situation they were in: everything was useless, soon they would have both been shot. With his free arm, Zoro grabbed the girl by a hip and moved her by instinct behind himself, to protect her a bit from the firing. Between his teeth, he murmured "I can't die like this: I've promised it to Kuina..."

"FIRE!" They closed their eyes, but, for what they heard, the gunshots hit something before them. They opened their eyes and saw that Rufy was back, protecting them with his body: he was made in rubber, the bulletts couldn't hurt him. Zoro was thunderstruck "Who the hell are you?"

"My name is Rufy and I will become the Pirate king!" Everbody's mouths fell open, not knowing whether he was being serious or joking. Kobi, arrived in the meantime, was staring at the scene from the gate "I reacted like that too when he told me, I thought he was joking, but then I had to change idea: he is completely serious, that's his goal and he means to achieve it at any cost. He wants to find the Great Treasure!" Jane Camille was smiling cunningly, while Rufy passed 3 swords to Zoro "I didn't know which one to choose, so I've brought them all."

"Well done, they're all mine."

"Now you have to choose: you can fight by my side and follow me, becoming officially a Govern's enemy, or you stay here and make yourself execute by the Marine. What do you prefer?"

The swordsman smiled "Rather than fall under the gunfire of the execution's platoon, I prefer becoming a pirate, I have no doubts about it!"

"HOORAY! You're entering my crew, you're entering my crew!" Jane Camille, smiling amused, started again to cut the ropes to free Zoro. But Captain Morgan had no intention to let them go "Draw your swords! Charge!" The soldiers obeyed. Zoro's arms were free, but he was still tied to the pole. Without second thoughts, Camille snatched the swords out of Rufy's hands and passed them to Zoro. Right in time, he stopped the marines, before they harmed them. The girl didn't linger: she kicked a man in the stomach and picked up his sword, looking at it slightly fearful and disgusted "I loathe swords..." Nonetheless she put herself on position, ready to attack. Zoro said to Rufy "I'll become a pirate and I'll follow at one condition: you'll let me realize my dream."

"What dream?"

"I want to become the best swordsman in the world! I won't be forgiving if you'll put an obstacle in my way."

"Why should I? Your dream is really beautiful. It'll be an honour having the greatest swordsman of the world in my crew!"

"Thanks, dude. I'm sure that thanks to your support my name will become even more famous than now."

Morgan ordered to his men "Get a move on! What the hell are you waiting for? Kill them!" With a single kick, Rufy flung away the marines that Zoro had stopped before.

One of them exclaimed "Captain, they're too strong!"

Morgas was furious "Shameless people! Kill yourselves for complaining, you cowards! This is an order!" Too scared to disobey, the soldiers pointed their guns at each other. Jane Camille was astonished "What the hell is wrong with these people?" Without losing other time, she threw herself between them and, with Zoro's help, she disarmed them all. Rufy threw himself against Morgan: although the man was much bigger than him, he managed to hit him more than once "You're a shame as a captain! You shouldn't treat your men like that!"

A voice exclaimed "Everybody stop or he dies!" It was Helmeppo's: he was pointing a gun at Kobi's temple. Rufy turned towards him, to hit him with one of his stretched punches, giving Morgan the chance to strike him with his axe. With lightning speed, Jane Camille threw herself against the big man and stopped him in the exact way Zoro had done with the marines before, only with one sword; the swordsman advanced and with a couple of strokes knocked the oppressor down; in the meantime Rufy had done the same with Helmeppo. For a moment everything was still and silent, then all the soldiers started to shout and jump for joy: they were happy to have been finally freed from the tyrant. Zoro fell to the ground, exhausted "I'm...hungry..."

While the new friends were eating at Rica's inn, Zoro asked Rufy "How many members there are in our crew?"

"At the moment only you."

"WHAT?" Jane Camille burst into laughter, eating a beefsteak as big as the dish. Zoro was bewildered "A crew with only 2 pirates? It's ridiculous!"

"Well if she wants to, she can join us too." The girl's face grew immediately serious, while Zoro felt even more worried "Are you mental? Have you no idea who she is?"

"Sure, she's Camille!"

"And what else do you know about her? Before recruiting people you should know them a bit more..."

"I know, but she seems the kind of girl you can trust, I'm sure she knows what she is about."

"Rufy, she's the Young Bride Jane Camille! One of the most infamous pirate women of these seas!"

The 17-year-old looked at her with sparkling eyes "Are you really a pirate? What's your crew?"

"I'm on my own at the moment."

"You see, Zoro? She's perfect for us!"

"What? No, no, no, wait a minute! What part of 'one of the most infamous pirates' you didn't get?"

"Come on, you are the infamous Pirate Hunter Zoro! You said you didn't care about what people say, didn't you? Then don't think about what they tell about her!"

"Do you know how big is her bounty?" The girl in question, in the meantine, kept on eating undisturbed vegetables and fish, watching eagerly their discussion. Zoro grabbed the newspaper on the inn's counter, looked through its pages and then stuck one under Rufy's eyes: it was the bounty of a girl with a sad expression on her face, dressed as a bride; on top of the photograph was written 'WANTED' and on its bottom 'JANE CAMILLE, 4.000.000 Beli'. Rufy's eyes started again to glisten "Wow 4 millions! You must be pretty strong!"

"I'm not complaining."

"Welcome to my crew then!"

"I've never said I would have accepted..."

Zoro punched the table, smiling at her "For the first and last time: I adore you!"

Rufy gave him a push "Shut up, Zoro! Why don't you wanna come with us? It was fun fighting together before, wasn't it?"

"That wasn't a _real_ fight."

"I know, but it wasn't bad for a beginning. If you join my crew I'll take you all over the world, we'll become very strong and I'll be Pirate King!"

Rica, who had listened carefully to their conversation with her mother and Kobi, cut in "Why don't you go, Milly? I would have gone too, if I were older!"

Rufy asked Camille "You don't want to leave your home?"

"I don't live here. I can't even say I have a real home at the moment."

"Then come with us and we will be your family!"

She said in a low voice, as talking to herself "You already are part of my family..."

"What did you just say?"

Had she really said that aloud? "Nothing, I said nothing!"

Zoro had heard "You said he's already part of your family. What the hell did you mean?"

All their eyes were staring at her "Well, you know, you saved Rica, she's very important to me so let's say that I consider you part of my family in that sense..."

"Oh don't even mention it, it was a pleasure! Come on, come with us! Nothing is keeping you here!"

Rica was pulling her from her cloak, repeating "Go! Go! Go!"

Camille sighed "So be it!"

Everybody shouted for joy, apart from Zoro "I can't agree. I think you're making a big mistake, Rufy. But after all you are the captain and you are the one who takes decisions. So where is our ship?" Rufy pointed his finger at the window. Zoro and Camille looked down on the dock: the only boat was a small longboat. They both raised an eyebrow. The swordsman asked "That tiny shell?"

Camille whispered "Dejà-vù..." Luckily no one heard her.

Rufy nodded "Soon we'll have a ship bigger than a mountain! With a beautiful black flag of course." Zoro and Camille looked puzzled at each other then burst into laughter. Kobi explained "You see, he has a clear head about what he wants, just not about how to get it."

Camille poured herself a glass of rum and drank it up "This is gonna be a great adventure, I can tell!"

Rica asked "Where will you head for?"

"For the Red Line!"

Kobi spat all the juice he was drinking "Only you 3 on that tub on a course for the Red Line? That's impossible! It is folly! That place is also called the Pirate Cemetery: since Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, said he had hidden a great treasure, the One Piece, on an island in the Grand Line, thousands of pirates raised the anchor to find it. But that sea is the most dangerous in the world, not to talk about what the other pirates are ready to do to get it first! Everyone who went there never came back!"

"I don't intend to be discouraged nor intimidated: that's where the Great treasure lies and that's exactly where we'll go!"

Zoro nodded "Exactly!"

Camille raised her umpteenth glass of rum "It's already been decided!"

Kobi was thunderstruck "Are the two of you supporting him now?" The inn's door slammed open and a marines' squad came in. One of them asked Rufy "They say you are a pirate, is it true?"

"Yes, it is! I already have two nakama and I wanna become the king of all the seven seas!"

"We wanted to thank you for saving us from Captain Morgan, but now it is you three the ones who menace our town. That's why I am ordering you to leave immediately!" A bruise of disapprovare shook the inn, but Rufy stood up, smiling "Ok, I got it. Thank you very much for the delicious meal, Bernadette-san! Let's go, minna!"

Rica ran to Jane Camille "Do you have to go right now?"

"I fear so. You'd better help your mother with the inn and behave. I promise you that one day we'll come back."

Zoro smiled to the little girl "I wanna eat again those delicious rice croquettes." The 22-year-old hugged Rica, paid her mother and followed her friends. The marine asked Kobi "Are you not with them?"

Rufy answered for him "I know everything about him! You see, this boy stayed for two years with a fat woman, a pirate called Alvida, if I'm not mistaken..." Koby, to shut his mouth, punched him in the face. Rufy looked at him, smiling, and punched him back. The marine ordered "Stop it! Apparently the pink-haired boy isn't a pirate. Get away now!" That's exactly what Rufy wanted, to let Kobi fulfil his dream: becoming a marine, hopefully an admiral. Jane Camille and Zoro smiled and they got all out.

Once at the dock, Zoro said "My adventure as a pirate starts well: I've been kicked out of town as a stray dog!"

Camille gave him a slap on the back "Welcome between us! Don't worry, you'll soon get used to it!"

Somebody called "RUFY!" It was Kobi, followed by Rica and her mother "I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me, I will never forget!"

Camille giggled "This is a scene you don't see everyday: a marine who thanks a pirate! Goodbye, Rica! We'll meet again one day! Do not rile your mum! Goodbye, Bernadette! Thanks for everything!"

"Goodbye, my dear! Have a safe journey!" The marines had come too. The new captain exclaimed "Attention: salute!" Everybody obeyed "With this act we have just broke the law: as punishment we won't have dinner for 3 days!"

"Yes, sir!"

A new adventure had just began for Jane Camille and her new 2 friends.


	4. The straw hat & the promise

4.

THE STRAW HAT AND THE PROMISE

Jane Camille was sitting at the bow, staring at the gold-red setting sun, when Rufy asked her "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just a bit tired and when I'm tired I lose myself thinking and remembering."

"Oh that happens to me too sometimes! I don't know how you could stare at the sun without making your eyes weeping!"

"I'm a pirate, I'm used to the burning sun."

Zoro asked "Do you come from South?"

"From North."

"You come from North and you don't suffer the heat?"

"The first times I did. Then I got used to it and now I couldn't live without it, I'm always cold. Look: I have goosebumps!" She stood up, drew out of her bag a yellow cloak and wore it. She took off her white cow-girl hat and let down her hair, spreading in the air a soft vanilla's essence. Rufy's stomach mumbled "I'm so hungry..."

"Bernadette gave me some rice and flans. Help youself, it's all in my bag."

Zoro stared at Rufy eating for a while, then, once sure he wouldn't have listened to them, he approached Jane Camille at the bow "So you come from North Blue..."

"Yeah. What about you?"

"I'm from here, my village is not far. Why did you decide to become a pirate?"

The girl studied him for a while, then asked "You don't trust me, do you?"

"No, I don't."

"I appreciate your honesty."

"I never lie, even if now I'm a pirate."

"Usually I don't either."

"Usually but not always. And if you want to hide something, you do it without seconds thoughts, am I wrong?"

"You can ask me what the heck you want, Pirate Hunter, but, if I don't want to answer, I simply don't."

"I know: you still haven't answered my second question."

"You see, one of the best things about being a pirate is freedom: you can do everything you want. Even simple things, like avoiding answering unpleasant questions."

"What are you hiding, Young Bride?"

"My past isn't worth telling."

"Is that the reason why you're smiling so happily on your bounty's photograph?"

Jane Camille tightened her grip on the edge of the boat "When that photo was taken I wasn't a pirate. But, as you already understood, I don't intend to talk about my past with you. Why should I trust you if you don't trust me? I'm not letting my guard down with you, a former bounty hunter."

"I have nothing to hide."

"Oh really? Who's Kuina then?" Zoro went visibly pale, so she added "Don't think you're tricking me, rookie."

Rufy cut in on their conversation "Aaah now I feel much better!"

Camille gasped "How much have you eaten?"

"You said I could have all I wanted and I had all!"

"Rufy, that food should have lasted for at least 3 days!"

The captain bowed in front of them, with the head touching the boat's wood "I'm sorry. Please, forgive me. It's just that I was so hungry..."

Jane Camille rolled her eyes, thinking "Just like him..." then said "It doesn't matter. Tomorrow we'll try fishing." Rufy smiled, happy to have been forgiven.

They talked for hours about Kobi and Rica, then, around midnight, Rufy fell asleep. Jane Camille stood silently and drew out of her bag a bottle of rum. She sat next to Zoro, uncorked it and took a drink "I'll miss Bernadette's rum. Would you like some?"

"You won't buy my trust with rum."

"Damn, you're so mistrustful! I always say that a bottle of rum uncorked alone doesn't taste the same as one in good company. I thought that Bernadette's rum was the only thing we had in common, I was just trying to be polite, but if you don't want some..."

"I've never said I didn't want it." He snatched the bottle out of her hands and drank, trying to ignore her grin. Rum's taste was simply divine, but with it there was something else...a fruity taste, like cherry "You're the first woman I see drinking on an empty stomach."

"I'm a pirate, I wouldn't be surprised if they discovered that in my veins runs liquor instead of blood." She giggled, making Zoro think "She's so mysterious, but her laugh is so natural..." He was also surprised by her white teeth: usually pirates were toothless or with rotten teeth, but she seemed to care a lot for her physical appearance, even if she didn't wear make-up. Her hair was clean and sweet-scented; her snow-white skin had no sign of burns nor dryness, even if she spent a lot of time in the hot sun; her nails were perfectly well-groomed; her legs looked smooth as silk; on her lips she was wearing lip gloss, because, he noticed it only then, in the candle-light they sparkled a bit. That's where the rum's fruity taste came from! While he was thinking that, Jane Camille handed him the bottle. He stared at it for a moment, so she asked "You don't want it anymore? I'm warning you: if you let me drink all this, I'll soon start singing!" Zoro grabbed it and drank, thinking "This cherry is not bad at all...Oh shit, what the hell am I thinking? Pirate life upsets me!"

Once the rum was gone, Jane Camille asked "Do you wanna start the turn of duty?"

"Duty?"

"We can't let the boat float off while we're sleeping. One of us we'll stay awake till 4.30-5.00, while the other sleeps, then we'll swap."

"But we're not heading anywhere!"

"No, but we could crash against a cliff or meet a sea monster or a pirate ship."

"Ok, I'll go first then."

"Ok. If you feel you're falling asleep wake me up, even if your turn isn't over yet. Goodnight."

The hours went by and nothing went wrong. Zoro approached silently the sleeping Young Bride and crouched in front of her. She seemed so relaxed and calm, he didn't want to wake her up "Dammit, I must be very tired! I should be happy to disturb her, she's a dirty pirate!" Slowly he stretched his hand to shake her, but he stopped halfway: should he shake her by the shoulder or by a hip? Maybe he could touch her leg. No, kick her! No, you can't kick a woman, neither if not hard. He stretched a bit more his hand, but stopped again: he didn't want to be too rude, but neither too gentle. Maybe her shoulder was the best solution. "Do you think you can make it before tomorrow?" Zoro froze: she was awake! He asked "How the hell did you notice I was gonna wake you up?"

"I always notice when someone stares at me. Even when I'm sleeping."

"Well get up, it's your turn!"

"Next time a slight shake on my shoulder will be fine. Or you can simply call my name." How could he not think about that? Calling her he didn't have to touch her.

At midday the 3 pirates were laying on their backs, exhausted for the heat and the hunger: they hadn't fished anything, not even a rotten shoe. Jane Camille was the only one enjoying the heat; Zoro's forehead was covered in sweat; Rufy had literally his tongue out of his mouth. Suddenly they felt a breath of wind. Rufy stood up, to get fresh, but he lost his hat, that was lifted into the air, over the bow. Terrified, he screamed "My hat! I can't lose it, I've promised it!" Luckily Zoro reached it and caught it. Smiling, he handed it to his captain "Next time watch out, if you care so much about it."

"Yosh! Thank you very much, Zoro!"

Jane Camille sat beside him "Can I ask what promise were you talking about?"

"A dearest friend lent it to me. He cared a lot about it, it was like an amulet for him, he wore it in all of his adventures. But, before setting sail, he gave it to me. I was so happy, I couldn't believe it! He told me that, when I become the Pirate King, I will have to give it back to him."

"That's why you have that ambitious dream! So it belonged to a pirate, right?" While asking it, Jane Camille uncorked a bottle of rum and took a drink.

Rufy answered "Yes, a pirate named Shanks." The girl spat out all the rum she had in her mouth on Zoro's shirt "YUCK! Watch out, Young Bride!"

Blushing, she apologized "Sorry, I didn't do it on purpose!"

Trying to clean his shirt with seawater, Zoro asked her "Why the hell did you drink it, if you knew that hot rum is disgusting?"

"It's not that, it's good!"

"Then what? Wait: you spat it when you heard that pirate's name, am I wrong?" Jane Camille blushed even more. Rufy was enthusiast "You know Shanks?"

The girl nodded, sighing "I owe him a million of my bounty."


	5. The rescue of the young bride

5.

THE RESCUE OF THE YOUNG BRIDE

Rufy asked "You're saying that they gave you a one million bounty only because you knew Shanks?"

Jane Camille answered "They _raised_ it of a million. Well he wasn't just an acquaintance: I've sailed with him for a couple of months."

"WHAT? When I was a child I begged him a thousand times to bring me with him and he always refused! That's so unfair!"

"Well I've never heard of pirates sailing with a child depending on them."

Still envious, Rufy asked "How old were you?"

"18. I think he asked me to join his crew only because he felt sorry for me."

"JOIN HIS CREW? I thought you had only stayed on his ship for a while!"

"That's what happened, in fact. I mean, he really asked me to join his crew, but I refused."

Rufy and Zoro asked together "WHY?"

"I would never match up to them! Plus, at that time, I didn't want to become a pirate. I told you, he asked it only because I was alone and I had nowhere else to go."

Rufy crossed his arms on his chest "I want you to tell me everything! You must have lived together so many adventures!"

"Not really...They were great times, but apart from eating and drinking nothing happened. Everytime things started to get interesting, he forced me to hide below deck, he didn't want me to be in danger."

"He's always been like that. He's a funny guy, but sometimes too overprotective."

Jane Camille smiled at him "I couldn't agree more! Let's say I was some kind of mascotte for his crew."

"Please, tell me about it! I'm starving to death, I need some distraction! Then I haven't heard of him for ages!"

"Neither have I: this happened 4 years ago."

"It doesn't matter, tell me the whole story!"

"As you wish..." Zoro layed down, pretending to be bored, but in reality he was all ears.

4 years before, in the middle of the East Blue...

"Captain! Look over there: there's an empty longboat."

"Strange...Let's go and have a look at it."

"Maybe there's a barrel of rum or of apples!"

"Always thinking about food, Lucky Roo?"

Once they approached the boat, the pirates noticed that it wasn't empty "What's that white stuff?"

"Looks like a pile of sheets."

"Or tablecloths."

"Yeah, with a pack of supplies inside, right Lucky Roo?"

"Stop teasing me, Yasopp!"

"Bloody hell, it's a girl! She's unconscious."

"Or worse, dead."

"You're always so tragic, Benn! Hurry up, go and get her! Maybe she's still alive." The long black-haired man got down on the longboat, loaded the girl on a shoulder and went back on the ship. The girl was indeed still alive and was brought immediately to the doctor "She needs rest and to stay fresh: she's dehydrated and had a sunstroke, her pale skin is sunburned. Probably she comes from North. I'll take care of her, but you put someone at the door: a girl that pretty in a crew full of hungry wolves is not safe, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah I got it. Thanks, doc!"

The day after Benn Beckman called his captain on the deck "We have company: over there there's a Marine ship. It's small and the crew isn't large, they must have been attacked not long time ago."

"Let' go and ask what happened."

The dark-haired guffawed "Aye!"

As they had expected, the marines didn't intend to attack them: they were too few and their ship was half-destroyed, probably because of an explosion. The captain asked to the naval captain "Hello there! What's up?"

"Beware! That's Red-Haired Shanks!"

"Really? The Emperor of the East?"

"Don't worry, we don't intend to put the boot in. We just want to know what happened to you. Pirates?"

The naval captain laughed harshly "A bride."

Shanks' crew burst into laughter "A bride? Did I hear that right?"

"Aye. Or maybe Satan dressed as a bride, who knows? She was locked in a cell, with seastone cuffs, but she got loose, nobody knows how, and surprised us while we were sleeping: she destroyed half of our ship, wounded a lot of men and escaped on a lifeboat. Nobody would have thought she would have been so well-trained! We already put a bounty on her head: here it is. Beware if you meet her, she's really dangerous!" Shanks grabbed the bounty and ordered to his crew to set sail. He lloked at the picture on the piece of paper and froze: the bride was the girl they had saved the day before: was she really that dangerous?

It was late at night when Jane Camille woke up. Her hands were tied to the bed she was laying on. She seemed to be on a ship, judging by the soft roll. The room was pitch dark and she couldn't see anything. She heard a noise coming from outside the door: someone was snoring. Had the Marine caught her back? The only solution was asking "Hello there? Is there somebody out there?" She sat and, with her free arm, she felt the covers and the bedside table and found an iron bowl. She hid it behind her back and called again "Hello? Please, can you come a second in?" She heard the man stopping snoring and finally the door was opened "Young Bride?"

"Where am I?"

"On a pirate ship."

Camille thought "Perfect! I've just jumped out of the frying pan into the fire! That's done it!" She asked "Where are you taking me?"

"Nowhere, you're staying with us."

"What's your name?"

"Benn Beckman. But you should introduce yourself before."

"Sorry, I'm Jane Camille, it's a pleasure to meet you. Listen, can I ask you a favour, Benn? Could you come here for a moment?" The man stepped inside, closing the door behind him, just as she was hoping, and drew a bit closer. She asked "Could you come here, please?"

He giggled "We know you're a tough little cookie. Maybe you could have on mind some dirty trick like the one you used with the marines. Captain would kill me if I'd let you go."

"I wanted to escape from the marines, not from here. Please, I'm begging you, I'm so itchy on the back, I can't scratch myself with my hand tied." While she was saying that, she had uncovered a shoulder, showing the man half of her sexy back. The pirate couldn't resist and fell into the trap: when he was close enough, Camille hit him on the head with the bowl, making him faint. She delved into his pockets and found a knife. She used it to cut her ropes and, holding it tight, she exited the room, silent as a cat, searching a way to escape from that hell. Wearing only a man's shirt (the only thought that a pirate had undressed and dressed her again made her sick), she inspected the large deck and discovered that the only safeboat she could steal was the one where a sleeping man was leaning on. She approached him in complete silence, studying him: he was wearing a dark cloak and looked unharmed. He also seemed to be one-armed. She had never killed a man, but that was the only solution she had left to be free, she had to survive, she had no other choice. She tightened her grip on the knife and when she finally resolved to hit, the man blocked her wrist with his arm and, in a flash, Camille found herself with the back on the hard wooden floor and the pirate upon her, pointing her knife to her throat "What do you think you were doing, midge?"

"Steal the boat and get as far as I could away from here."

"To starve to death or die of thirst again?"

"Better like that than captured by pirates!"

The pirated said ironically "What a lovely girl! Stop struggling, you're not going anywhere. Benn! Yasopp! Lucky Roo!"

"Your friend Benn won't answer."

"What did you do to him?"

"Only knocked him out. I'm not a murderer like you pirates!"

A fat man appeared, giggling "I'd give anything to be at your place, captain..."

"Lucky, don't be gross! She's already too scared without your comments. Help me carry her to my cabin." Yasopp help them too and she was tied again to the bed, this time also by the ankles. Once alone, the captain asked "So, Young Bride, what's your name?"

"Why, do you really care? Don't call me Young Bride!"

"If you don't tell me your real name...I'm Shanks."

"Camille."

"It's really nice to meet you, Camille. I think you misunderstood the situation here: we're pirates, ok, but we're trying to help you. We found you yesterday, fainted, in the middle of the sea, we saved you and cured you and now here we are. Is that how you thank us?"

"Well thanks for saving me, but what do you want from me?" Her voice trembled a little while asking that. Shanks sat on the bed next to her and put a hand on one of her knees "Relax, we just want you to recover, then we'll leave you wherever you want." The girl studied him fo a while and understood he was sincere: his smile was really gentle. She lowered her glaze, sad "I have no place left to go."

"Haven't you got a family, a home?"

"Not anymore."

"What about the groom?"

Tears started to stream down her beautiful face "It's his fault if I'm here now."

Shanks put his hand on one of her cheeks and, gently, he dried her tears "I see. Then, if you agree, you can stay a little bit longer with us, for all the time you wish, until you'll find your way, ok? What about something to eat now? I'm a bit hungry!"

Jane Camille smiled shyly "Me too..."

"Perfect! You promise you'll behave? Good, let's go."

.com/gallery/32407754#/d3fxuqs Camille's 1st bounty, even if her hair is brown and not black


End file.
